The Capitals Flower

Chapter 4

Dahlia:

I don't know what Peeta said but now we both sit in our cells, pain like we've never felt before. Peeta was using the tracker jacker venom machine so instead the dark haired boy strapped me to a device that electrocuted me until I could hardly manage to scream.

I lay on the ground trying to stay conscious well Peeta mutters words about Katniss, I could have sworn i heard traitor somewhere in there.

It's been two days since the torture started. They even made Peeta watch me get tortured. If I didn't know better I would say he screamed louder then me.

I finally give into the comfort of unconsciousness. The buzz isn't going away neither is the pain and even as I'm unconscious it hurts.

I only come back to when I hear footsteps. I brace myself for pain, for the dark haired boy's muttered apologies that no longer matter, but instead I hear a voice.

"Here they are."

Peeta's door swung open and even though my body ached and my mind was foggy I knew I had to protect him, for Katniss, for the rebellion. I know he can't take anymore torture so I do the only thing I know how to do, I attack.

My cell door opens and I use all my strength to jump up and hit a tall man square in the jaw. He curses under his breath, standing for so long has already drained me so much.

My head hurts so bad and the world around me spins violently. That's when I see the district 13 logo on the man's jacket. He didn't forget about me.

"Finnick" I mutter his name like the lifeline it is, all my doubts and breaks in my memory falling away. He loves me. And as I fall he is the last thing I think of.

Finnick's Pov:

Me and Katniss have been waiting up all night. I keep trying to hold onto the image of Dahlia happy, untouched by the hands of the capital. But it has been so long since her smile was unburdened by the weight of the games and what came after.

Still I manage to remember us dancing together in our living room, on the night before her reaping. Before she was sentenced to death, before she cheated it.

Will she be able to do it again?

I don't know.

Haymitch runs into the room me and Katniss have been waiting in. My heart is pounding so hard I can barely hear what he says.

"They're here."

Two words I waited so long to hear. The moment they leave his mouth I jump from my seat and race to the hospital wing.

It's crowded and I find my eyes searching desperately for her brown hair, her eyes, her.

"She's over there." A nurse mutters to me

My head spins in the direction he points and I see her. She lays on a stretcher. Covered in bruises and cuts. Eyes closed. Unconscious. Dead?

"DAHLIA!" I yell running to her.

When I reach her I see just how bad they messed her up. Her hair is matted, her whole body is bruised and cuts litter her skin.

"Is she okay?" I ask Boggs who just walked in

"She's alive. Beaten up but alive."

He puts his hand on my shoulder then leaves. He looks tired, troubled almost.

I take her hand in mine.

"Wake up" I whisper

I press my lips to her hand and whisper those two words again. I beg her to wake up until my words are gone and I sit in silence. Her hand in mine and my eyes looking anywhere but her broken body.

Moments go by like years and my mind is everywhere. I hope Katniss is having better luck then me. Peeta is a strong guy, I bet their happily holding each other right now. I've never been so jealous.

At that moment I feel her hand tighten around mine. I look up fast, relief fills my body as I finally see her eyes, open. Alive.

"Finnick?"
She says my name and tears brim my eyes.

"Dahlia" my voice breaks as I say her name, to her.

Dahlia, alive.

We rush into a hug, but I am quickly reminded of her state when she flinches. Her bruises. Anger and guilt rush over me.

"Sorry, I'm so sorry Dahlia." In that moment I'm not apologizing for just hurting her but for not being able to save her. From this. From everything.

"It's not youre fault." She whispers

"We shouldn't have split up."

She rolls her eyes and pressed her lips delicately against mine. I had forgotten how her lips felt against mine. How it felt to have her in my grasps and knowing she won't let go.

"I missed you." I whisper when she breaks the kiss.

"You have no idea." She mutters back to me.

Her eyes stare into mine. I don't know how I made it through all those months without her by my side. I've had her back for a few minutes but I don't think I could ever handle being apart for so long again.

They move her to a bed, and she insists that I lay next to her. They try to give her morphine to ease the pain but she refuses.

Dahlia lays next to me tenderly. I rest my arm around her careful to avoid her bruises and cuts. They are all wrapped up but I can tell they still hurt her.

"Let's get married." I didn't know what I said until I said it. I always knew I wanted to be with her forever. She had always said she wanted the same thing, but the main thing that stopped us was time. There wasn't enough of it.

"Let's get married." She repeats and pulls herself closer.

It was comfortable.
It was perfect.